The Fletcher School

Maria Stephan, MALD 2002 and PhD 2005, USA

At first glance it may seem like Maria Stephan, a 2005 PhD graduate of The Fletcher School, has made a 180-degree turn in her career path. Having worked at NATO headquarters in Brussels and the U.S. Department of Defense before enrolling at Fletcher, she now finds herself working in Washington, D.C., as manager of educational initiatives at the International Center on Nonviolent Conflict, a nonpartisan, nonprofit NGO dedicated to increasing global understanding about the practical application of nonviolent, civilian-based resistance.

But after scratching the surface, it becomes apparent that her professional progression represents more a synthesis than an abrupt change.

“I had very interesting and valuable experiences working in traditional security organizations in the U.S. and Europe,” said Stephan. "But at Fletcher I became interested in a decidedly non-traditional approach to security. I saw a screening of the Emmy nominated film ‘A Force More Powerful’ and became intrigued by how ordinary people could liberate themselves from tyranny and oppression using ‘weapons’ like strikes, boycotts and civil disobedience. My main interest was in the strategic dimensions of nonviolent struggles.”

While at Fletcher, Stephan wrote a PhD dissertation entitled, "Nonviolent Insurgency: The Role of Civilian-Based Resistance in the East Timorese, Palestinian and Kosovo Albanian Self-Determination Movements.” Her dissertation advisors were Richard Shultz, Eileen Babbitt and Peter Ackerman.

“I pursed the PhD at Fletcher to develop a special expertise in nonviolent conflict while examining this phenomenon through a multidisciplinary lens,” she said, adding, "I could only do that at Fletcher.”

Stephan said that she was fortunate to have the opportunity to conduct field research in all three conflict regions in Asia, the Middle East and Southeast Europe. "In all three places, fellow Fletcherites took me in their homes and provided me with invaluable contacts. The Fletcher network extends to all parts of the globe, and I’ve never met an alum who wasn’t willing to go the extra mile for you.”

Stephan also received her MALD degree from Fletcher, in 2002, and during her time at the school she focused on three fields: international security studies, negotiation and conflict resolution and international human rights. She wrote her MALD thesis on the role of civil society in the Sri Lankan ethno-political conflict after spending a summer in Sri Lanka.

Prior to Fletcher, Stephan earned her BA in political science from Boston College, where she was awarded the Harry S. Truman scholarship in 1998. She spent her junior year abroad taking courses in French at l’Institute d’Etudes Politiques at the Robert Schumann University in Strasbourg, France. While developing advanced proficiency in French, Stephan began to take German language lessons in Strasbourg. She then applied for and received a Fulbright scholarship to study European common foreign and security policy in Bonn, Germany.

Stephan said she plans to make yet another ambitious refinement to her career. Her goal is to straddle the policy and academic worlds while working to promote greater understanding of and appreciation for nonviolent conflict as a functional alternative to political violence.

“There is more interest amongst scholars, journalists and policy-makers about people power since the so-called ‘colored revolutions’ in Georgia, Ukraine and Lebanon,” Stephan said. "But people are still wedded to the notion that all power comes from the barrel of a gun, which is simply not true. Fletcher is ahead of the game in terms of incorporating the study of civilian-based resistance in its coursework.”

“I hope to start teaching in one of the DC grad schools while continuing to interact with activists around the world who are leading nonviolent struggles against oppressive, arbitrary rule,” she added.

Stephan described her Fletcher education as invaluable.

“Fletcher teaches you that disciplinary boundaries are artificial and encourages you to think outside of the box. Beyond that, Fletcher attracts great people from around the world with all sorts of talents and life experiences. There is constant stimulation at Fletcher, and there is no better extended family than the Fletcher extended family,” she said.

Education before Fletcher:

BA Boston College;
Certificat d'Etudes Europeenes (Institut d'Etudes Politiques; Strasbourg, France)

Fields of Study:

International Security Studies
International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution
International Human Rights Law

PhD Dissertation Title:

Fighting Better: the Potential and Limits of Strategic Nonviolent Action in Self-Determination Struggles

Experience before Fletcher:

Rehabilitation work with former prisoners;
Fulbright Scholar (Germany);
US Department of Defense (Office of the Secretary of Defense);
NATO Headquarters (International Staff)

Languages:

English
French
German
Russian (basic)
Arabic (basic)

Contact:

Maria can be reached by email at mstephan@nonviolent-conflict.org